The present disclosure relates to a production method for producing a painting plant component, e.g., for producing a component of a color changer, a color valve, an atomizer, a robot or the like. The present disclosure also relates to a correspondingly produced painting plant component.
Painting plant components, such as for example components of color changers, color valves or atomizers, which are used in motor vehicle painting plants, are conventionally produced by material-removing production methods (e.g. milling, drilling) or primary forming methods (e.g. casting, extrusion) since these production methods allow the necessary low surface roughness of the painting plant components.
One disadvantage of these known production methods is the limited design freedom in terms of the shaping, since certain component shapes cannot be achieved using the respective production methods. For instance, through-lines for media (e.g. rinsing agent, paint, air) are generally formed by bores which, due to the method of production, can nevertheless have only a straight path so that changes in direction of the through-lines are always associated with a kink at which turbulence can occur.
Furthermore, the customary production methods lead in the painting plant components to undercuts and dead spaces which in turn cause pressure losses and impair the rinsability.
Another disadvantage of the known production methods for painting plant components lies in the fact that the production of a model during the development process is relatively complicated and takes a great deal of time.
In addition, the known production methods for painting plant components require a relatively long manufacturing time, which makes extensive stock storage necessary or delays delivery of the finished painting plant components.
Moreover, considerable tooling costs arise in the context of the known production methods for painting plant components, for example for the casting molds required during the casting process or for milling cutters or drills.
Another disadvantage of the known production methods for painting plant components lies in the fact that the actual manufacture must often be assigned to subcontractors due to the production methods used, which is associated with the risk of industrial espionage.
Furthermore, the production of individual small batches of painting plant components is difficult and usually not profitable with the known production methods, so that individual solutions for customers can rarely be implemented.
The documents DE 10 2005 015 604 A1, DE 10 2006 058 562 A1 and DE 10 2004 014 209 A1 disclose coating plant components in general, such as for example a rotary atomizer, a metering device or a robot.
The documents WO 2004/073 889 A1, DE 10 2007 009 277 A1, DE 10 2004 041 633 A1, DE 10 2004 012 682 A1, DE 601 14 453 T2, DE 600 14 714 T2, DE 103 10 385 B4 and DE 101 31 657 A1, as well as the corporate publication “e-Manufacturing Solutions” by EOS GmbH, 1/2008, disclose rapid prototyping methods, but without any specific reference to coating plant components.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved production method for producing painting plant components.
Additionally, there is a need for correspondingly improved painting plant components.